We did well v Man Utd. Essentially we were seconds away from a point. They had one player worth as much if not more than our entire club has probably just been sold for. We had 12 fit players so we didn't really have any choice other than to do what we did. We almost got a point against most people's title favourites. I'm not sure how you can criticise that to be honest? We have 6 points more at this stage of the season than probably almost anyone expected.
Meyler had a shot narrowly over the bar a few seconds before they scored. Clearly he was playing for a draw.
I'm not disagreeing with any of that. It was a valiant rearguard effort. From the off. An early goal and then what is all i was asking? We could have done more going forward as Bmouth did two weeks prior. Lets see what Phelan does next.
It just demonstrates possession doesn't mean everything. Extreme example yes. Will he aim to have less possession in future games? Depends if he's playing a high possession team and depends how he sets them up to play. If you are confident out of possession and can squeeze the space and be disciplined, there's no harm in it. Burnley went narrow with two banks of four not allowing Liverpools creative players the space to hurt them. Different opposition teams will require different strategies.
Under Bruce if we went a goal down we usually lost or got a draw. Hopefully it will be different under Phelan. The early signs are they might be. We have a more attacking threat after the transfer window than before. Crucially we look like we can build an attack through the centre as well as the wings. We'll find out once we got a goal down. Our weaknesses have been plain to see for the last 12 months. Its a question of whether the opposition have the quality to break down our strengths. It took Manchester United a long time to do it. Finally if we have any more injuries we'll struggle. I have a good feeling about this season so who knows what will happen.
Saw us win there in 84 (felt like a defeat), we won there in 2013, seen us draw a couple of times. People exaggerate this 'hoodoo' ****. BWFC away - now that is a hoodoo game.
Bit of a gash to wake up very f'kin morning thinking about how City will ever win a corner at certain grounds. Alf Tuppers fish supper syndrome at its worst. Big Sam OUT
We play one-touch passing a lot of the time when on the counter, which worked to great effect against both Leicester and Swansea - led to our second goal against Swansea in fact. Even against United our passing had a much more aggressive influence to it, rather than just sideways and backwards. I can definitely see differences under Phelan.
I noticed some pointedly quick passing against United, but it seemed to fizzle out a lot too. Henrikson can hopefully provide more ideas in the final third, maybe even Mason. Mason seemed to split Tottenham supporters, some really loved him and others seemed critical. When he left you predictably had the naysayers come out saying he could be mechanical passing and wasn't good enough for them. I'm hoping he'll be creative and offer something more than simply a tidy midfielder.
A Although we didn't go behind against Leicester we had a set back with their equaliser. But responded very positively! We'll never know how Brucie would've tried to respond to it. But my guess is it wouldn't have been as positively as MP did.
Some probably were very pessimistic, not me. Thankfully the players and manager aren't either. We should go into every game thinking we are not there just to make up the numbers.
Which with Bruce (no disrespect) he often referred to us as 'little old Hull' we aren't a big player in this league - but then neither are Swansea, Bournemouth, Burnley, Boro, WBA etc etc We don't need to remind people constantly with a defeatist attitude. We are Tigers for a reason. I love how the current crop of players have performed to date - that is how our team needs to be represented with whole hearted and gutsy performances.
Someone mentioned Swansea. I didn't go Burnsy but we won 2-0! Under Bruce can anyone seriously imagine us counter-attacking with fast passing in the opposition half at 1-0 up in the last few minutes? No. We'd have been desperately hoofing clearances away and then waiting for the next cross to come in. Hernandez wouldn't have been on the pitch to get the second goal. It'd have been 7-6-1 with Robertson on his own up front by that point. And it'd have been all Davies' fault when they equalised becuse he only successfully defended 85 crosses out of 86.
